The Tale of the Black Baron
by pasta16
Summary: My Dearest Beloved, we have been together for 15 years, but I have never really told you about my life. But as I lay on my deathbed, I write you this letter, telling you about my mysterious family and history and my life as two persons...


So some of you have read about one of the ways I made Penelope the Black Baron, but I had this crazy dream (again...its how all my stories are created) when I was really sick last night, and now I feel awesome, and ready to tell the world about it...very sad btw...don't belive me? the song for this one-shot is Against All Odds by Phil Collins

ENJOY!!!

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_My Dearest Beloved, _

_I lay in the hospital bed, knowing at 35, I was dying. It was a horrible feeling: your body telling you time was up and good-bye. I just stare at the ceiling of the hospital. I kept wondering why there were so many little holes in the ceiling tiles. It didn't make any sense. Nothing in this world made any sense, really. My life was just one crazy thing after another. You, my dear, are the only thing good that has ever come out of my life. I write this as you are sound asleep in that chair, which it seems you haven't moved out of in weeks since I have been in this damn bed, waiting for Death's angel. _

_Now, we have been together for 15 years, but I have never really told you about my life. It was better that you never knew, but I shouldn't keep anything away from you._

_It starts with both my parents had gone to jail for murdering people when they robbed banks when I was only five or six. I was placed in foster care in New York City, where I graduated high school when I was only twelve. People always made fun of me, a little mouse, always wearing clothes bigger then me, and the well-known fact that my parents were murderers. When I was seventeen, I joined the Air Forces, hoping to be able to fly away from all my problems. I never did get away from my problems, but it was still wondrous until another crazy thing happened. _

_Apparently, a comrade of mine learned who my parents were. To make matters worse, his grandfather was one of the innocent people the demons had killed during one of their heists. He shot me, right through the back of my leg, getting me honorably discharged from the Air Forces. I could still fly fine, it was just I walked with a bit of a limp, so they said no more for you._

_I was furious, and at 18, I became a citizen of Holland. It was a nice enough place, with beautiful landscapes with windmills and tulips. But I was going stir-crazy, being able to fly only by myself. I missed the action, the gunfire, so I came up with the ACES tournament. I didn't want any young, inexperienced people flying and getting killed, so I made an age limit of 20. I knew most people wouldn't take ACES seriously if they knew a teenager was leading it, thus, the Black Baron was made. It was easy enough to trick people to think I was a middle-aged, bi-polar old Englishman._

_The first year was amazing, even thought we only had about 18 pilots fighting, it is still a close second for my favorite year. The next year, it was an explosion of people, and I had 230-some pilots come since they heard about my ACES competition. That was when I made people come in teams. To lead a team, you must be at least 35, and have 15 pilots as a minimum with any extras you may need. So in the third year, I ended up with 17 teams, compete with pilots, mechanics, cooks, and even maids for some teams._

_My team, Team Black Baron, was always the best of the best. My second-in-command, Gordon, had been part of ACES since the first year. He agreed to join my team, and help organize my team for the third annual ACES. He was a quiet, out-spoken, lanky husky making the Black Baron that much scarier. No one ever dared look me in the eyes, or ask what type of animal I was or why I always wore more clothes then necessary that hid my face. I struck terror into them, and I was proud of it. He has been with me, never finding out my secret._

_But of course, The Black Baron almost didn't come to the Third year. It was another of the things were your sure the world hates you. At 20, I became a father. _

_I was a lanky, 19 year-old-kid and she was 18, traveling Europe before she started collage back in England. She came from a wealthy family, and we just instantly connected. She left eventually, and two months later, her father found me, and started threaten me. While his daughter was this cute, blond hair, brown eyed mouse, this man was this huge black rat, with beady red eyes. He yelled at me, hitting me, telling me he had ruined his daughters life. Next thing I knew, I was begging on the ground, pleading for him not to kill my child. He finally agreed, but only if I, and the rat of mine, was never to see his daughter again._

_As I think back, if I even saw him again, I would hurt him for ever calling you a rat, my dear._

_I felt horrible for hurting Bella, your mother. The next, and last, time I saw her she looked hurt and broken. I knew she had mixed feelings about all of this. Giving up her child to a man that she loved, and told to forget them both. I could never forget her last words to me: Philip, take good care of her....please __I never did see her again. _

_It took a long time to come up with a name for you. It wasn't until I was half-way finished reading the _Odyssey_, when I realized I wanted to name you Penelope. A loyal, capable, and clever woman, which is to perfect for you, dearest. Thankfully, you made being a father rather easy. I never had to deal with boys bringing you home in the wee hours of the night, skimpy outfits and massive amounts of make-up that some girls your age wish to wear, or even tea parties with stuffed animals when you were younger. _

_Whenever we traveled incognito, you would dress just like you mother. Something simple, yet elegant, showing how beautiful you are. But any other time, you dress in a worn pair of overalls and a baggy yellow shirt. And completing the look with __my red bandanna__, you looked like I did when I was younger. Please don't take any offence to this, because I believe you look truly stunning when you wear what makes you, you: grease stains included. _

_Now at 15, you are becoming a woman. A smart, clever, beautiful one, that is a great pilot and thief to boot. Now as you read this, I hope you do not give up stealing, just because of your vile grandparents. Thieving is in your blood, and you are meant to do it. As I look at you, curled up in that chair asleep, you made my life mean so much. Thank you so much, dearest._

_Now, back to you as a cute, little infant. Living in Holland with my newborn was a little tricky. My neighbor and close friend, Charles Edmonds, would help a lot, and even baby-sat you for the five days I would leave for the ACES. As much as I wanted to stay and take care of you, I needed that few days of freedom in the sky. Thankfully, as you grew up, you learned to love the open skies along with me. At five, I took you up for the first time. Two years later, you had stolen my bi-plane real early in the morning, and was dive-bombing by our lonesome._

_Every time I would go to ACES, you would beg and beg to come with me. It tore at my heart to tell you no. But just after you turned fourteen, I told you was allowed to come, but only as a mechanic. I felt you should enjoy what I loved so much along with me, but I just wanted to wait for you to mature a little, and be able to look the part of 18, which was a newer rule I made after the Tenth Annual ACES: Mechanics can be 18 to join a team, BUT ABSOLUTLY NO FLYING OR THE ENTIRE TEAM WILL BE DISQUALIFIED._

_You immediately agreed to join Team Black Baron as a mechanic. It was my favorite year, being able to fly, with you by my side. It had only been eleven months ago, back when we didn't know about all of the pain we would both be put through. _

_First, it had started with just a simple pain, and me groaning about it. Then you talked me into going to the doctors so I would stop complaining. Next thing I knew, I was being placed on all sorts of machines and medication. It scared both of us, knowing what was happening, but neither of us would say anything. _

_Every time I would start trying to talk to you about what would happen if I died, you would cut me off, saying _I wasn't dead yet_. Thus, this letter is being written, while you sleep of course. If you caught me writing a letter, the hardheaded person that you are, would rip it up. Now most of the letter talks about the start of the Black Baron, which you know. Now, you know about your entire family as well. For years, you have taken care of money and such, since your much better then me, so you are well taken care of there._

_But, I swear that if any boy is to hurt you or make you cry, I will come back and hurt him. Also, they boy should be kind, caring, able to take care of and protect you, smart to be able to butt-heads with you, yet have you will win every intellectual discussion. And, he has to be good looking, of course. Maybe another mouse or a raccoon._

_One last thing, as I lay down my pen, as much as I know you will hate it, want you to become the Black Baron. Not forever, since I know you feel indifferently about tricking everyone with the costume, but long enough that you can still be part of ACES. I want you to keep with it. You are a good pilot, and need to show off._

_I felt truly horrible about doing this to you. You never had the chance met your mother, and I am leaving you, too. You had been so helpful through the whole ordeal, ever since I came back from the doctor who told me I had prostate cancer. You believed so much in the chemo and other experiments, only to be let down over and over as the cancer worsened. I am so sorry._

_I love you and please keep safe,  
__Philip Mayers,  
__A.K.A. The Former Black Baron_


End file.
